Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012

Discussion of individual medical schools and their courses for applicants and current students. Not for all those 'Am I Good Enough' questions.

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  1. gozatron's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by tomtom415)
    Are there any textbooks that are absolutely necessary for 1st year? Wanna see if I can get them cheap on eBay now :P
    There's no real need to buy books, they're easy to find in the library but if you really wanted to i'd advise a two rather than buying the entire booklist. For the biological science subjects a good anatomy book e.g) Gray's anatomy/Essential clinical anatomy and a histology book eg) Junqueiras Histology/Wheaters histology will come in handy but the neuroscience/physiology/embryology/cell biology/pharmacology books they suggest aren't really worth forking out for. Saying this the lectures/wikipedia are pretty comprehensive so don't worry if you don't get any. Forget getting any law/sociology/psychology/ethics books, infact don't even bother going to the lectures. It's all bull.
  2. tomtom415's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by gozatron)
    There's no real need to buy books, they're easy to find in the library but if you really wanted to i'd advise a two rather than buying the entire booklist. For the biological science subjects a good anatomy book e.g) Gray's anatomy/Essential clinical anatomy and a histology book eg) Junqueiras Histology/Wheaters histology will come in handy but the neuroscience/physiology/embryology/cell biology/pharmacology books they suggest aren't really worth forking out for. Saying this the lectures/wikipedia are pretty comprehensive so don't worry if you don't get any. Forget getting any law/sociology/psychology/ethics books, infact don't even bother going to the lectures. It's all bull.
    Ok, thanks for the advice I think I'll just wait, in case I **** up biology and chemistry in approximately 2 weeks...really looking forward to forgetting whatever the hell apical dominance is and what colour chlorine Luganda are blah blah blah
  3. My-My-My's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by gozatron)
    There's no real need to buy books, they're easy to find in the library but if you really wanted to i'd advise a two rather than buying the entire booklist. For the biological science subjects a good anatomy book e.g) Gray's anatomy/Essential clinical anatomy and a histology book eg) Junqueiras Histology/Wheaters histology will come in handy but the neuroscience/physiology/embryology/cell biology/pharmacology books they suggest aren't really worth forking out for. Saying this the lectures/wikipedia are pretty comprehensive so don't worry if you don't get any. Forget getting any law/sociology/psychology/ethics books, infact don't even bother going to the lectures. It's all bull.

    Gozatron is right, all you really need is an anatomy and histology text book. Don't but anything else no matter what they tell you in first year. And wait 'til you're here because the older years will often sell their old text books quite cheap.

    Medicine in Society is a load of bull in first year but it gets better in 2nd year, more ethics, debates and more psychology, less of the floaty stuff that anyone could just make up. Despite this, do still bother to turn up, because a lot of the time things are said in lectures that aren't on the slides, and there are a couple of MIS lecturers who like to tell you which exact slide will be examined.

    (Original post by tomtom415)
    Ok, thanks for the advice I think I'll just wait, in case I **** up biology and chemistry in approximately 2 weeks...really looking forward to forgetting whatever the hell apical dominance is and what colour chlorine Luganda are blah blah blah
    I wouldn't forget that! It crops up a lot...
  4. kabi21's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    hey - was just wondering whether anyone knows of any facebook group for offer holders? for birmingham... obviously..
  5. My-My-My's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by kabi21)
    hey - was just wondering whether anyone knows of any facebook group for offer holders? for birmingham... obviously..
    http://www.facebook.com/groups/386644731379624/

    Here you go!

    This is the one from last year, thought it might interest you

    http://www.facebook.com/groups/252844784729492/
  6. gozatron's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by My-My-My)
    http://www.facebook.com/groups/386644731379624/

    Here you go!

    This is the one from last year, thought it might interest you

    http://www.facebook.com/groups/252844784729492/
    Take a gander Freshers, you've got a LOT to look forward to!
  7. groovyangel2008's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    Interesting to see that Birmingham will be now introducing the multiple mini-interview format for 2013 entry:


    Taken from the website: Interviews are organised in a multiple mini-interview format. You will participate in at least four separate, short interviews, lasting 5-8mins each. This will allow you to start afresh at each mini-interview. A range of your personal attributes relevant to studying medicine will be assessed by means of different tasks. Interview stations are designed to assess aspects such as: motivation for medicine; communication (including empathy); ethical reasoning (through consideration of an ethical scenario); logical reasoning (through undertaking a task); scientific understanding and interpretation (through discussion of a problem relating to medical science). The approach you take towards teamwork will be addressed by the task activity and through interaction with a role-player.

    Preparation for interview and indeed for study on a medicine programme is aided by engaging in frequent discussions with friends and family about medical issues appearing in the news and media. You should also use your time on work experience effectively by gaining insight into the demands placed on staff, the problems they encounter and the strategies that they employ to handle difficult situations as well as the benefits they obtain from caring for people and working in teams. Again, opportunities to engage in discussion of these issues must be taken.

    What are peoples opinions?? To be honest, it's made me realise how privileged I am to have a place on the course!!
  8. gozatron's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by groovyangel2008)
    Interesting to see that Birmingham will be now introducing the multiple mini-interview format for 2013 entry:


    Taken from the website: Interviews are organised in a multiple mini-interview format. You will participate in at least four separate, short interviews, lasting 5-8mins each. This will allow you to start afresh at each mini-interview. A range of your personal attributes relevant to studying medicine will be assessed by means of different tasks. Interview stations are designed to assess aspects such as: motivation for medicine; communication (including empathy); ethical reasoning (through consideration of an ethical scenario); logical reasoning (through undertaking a task); scientific understanding and interpretation (through discussion of a problem relating to medical science). The approach you take towards teamwork will be addressed by the task activity and through interaction with a role-player.

    Preparation for interview and indeed for study on a medicine programme is aided by engaging in frequent discussions with friends and family about medical issues appearing in the news and media. You should also use your time on work experience effectively by gaining insight into the demands placed on staff, the problems they encounter and the strategies that they employ to handle difficult situations as well as the benefits they obtain from caring for people and working in teams. Again, opportunities to engage in discussion of these issues must be taken.

    What are peoples opinions?? To be honest, it's made me realise how privileged I am to have a place on the course!!
    Yeh i was discussing this on the Med Students thread. They asked a few of us first years to test the interviews (not myself, i had sleeping that needed to be done) and they seemed pretty straight forward. Personally, i would have preferred the traditional panel interview but it seems that MMI's are the way most med schools are heading these days!
  9. momories's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by groovyangel2008)
    Interesting to see that Birmingham will be now introducing the multiple mini-interview format for 2013 entry:


    Taken from the website: Interviews are organised in a multiple mini-interview format. You will participate in at least four separate, short interviews, lasting 5-8mins each. This will allow you to start afresh at each mini-interview. A range of your personal attributes relevant to studying medicine will be assessed by means of different tasks. Interview stations are designed to assess aspects such as: motivation for medicine; communication (including empathy); ethical reasoning (through consideration of an ethical scenario); logical reasoning (through undertaking a task); scientific understanding and interpretation (through discussion of a problem relating to medical science). The approach you take towards teamwork will be addressed by the task activity and through interaction with a role-player.

    Preparation for interview and indeed for study on a medicine programme is aided by engaging in frequent discussions with friends and family about medical issues appearing in the news and media. You should also use your time on work experience effectively by gaining insight into the demands placed on staff, the problems they encounter and the strategies that they employ to handle difficult situations as well as the benefits they obtain from caring for people and working in teams. Again, opportunities to engage in discussion of these issues must be taken.

    What are peoples opinions?? To be honest, it's made me realise how privileged I am to have a place on the course!!
    I think it's either Leicester or Nottingham that does interviews like this? (Can't remember which one my friend said), and she said it was just chaotic and stupid. I really liked the way Birmingham originally carried out their interviews
  10. areyouthere?'s Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by momories)
    I think it's either Leicester or Nottingham that does interviews like this? (Can't remember which one my friend said), and she said it was just chaotic and stupid. I really liked the way Birmingham originally carried out their interviews
    St. Georges does this as well.
  11. fallenangel's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by momories)
    I think it's either Leicester or Nottingham that does interviews like this? (Can't remember which one my friend said), and she said it was just chaotic and stupid. I really liked the way Birmingham originally carried out their interviews
    I got lost and found myself on this thread aha

    St George's have done them for a while and Leicester recently introduced them. I personally hate the concept, I much preferred a panel interview.
  12. aeneas745's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by fallenangel)
    I got lost and found myself on this thread aha

    St George's have done them for a while and Leicester recently introduced them. I personally hate the concept, I much preferred a panel interview.
    Notts interview was traditional and 10 minutes long
  13. fallenangel's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by aeneas745)
    Notts interview was traditional and 10 minutes long
    I was rejected without interview, so wasn't that sure :lolwut:

    Thanks for clarifying though mate
  14. tomtom415's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    Thank god we didn't have to do MMI...I would've been much more nervous...
    Btw, did anyone do chem5 on Tuesday and fear that they may not be going to Birmingham anymore? :P
  15. groovyangel2008's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    Yeah I don't think I would have been good at MMI!

    Just under 3 months to go until we start....
  16. Friar Chris's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    I wonder if I saw any of you on Thursday or Friday in the open days....

    If you had a tour around the medical school and finished up with the BLS people, there's a reasonable chance you had to endure listening to me
  17. My-My-My's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by Friar Chris)
    I wonder if I saw any of you on Thursday or Friday in the open days....

    If you had a tour around the medical school and finished up with the BLS people, there's a reasonable chance you had to endure listening to me
    I think most of the people on here are current year 13s, and you'll have been speaking to year 12s.
  18. Friar Chris's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    (Original post by My-My-My)
    I think most of the people on here are current year 13s, and you'll have been speaking to year 12s.
    How very astute of you to notice
  19. My-My-My's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    Alright, calm down.
  20. tomtom415's Avatar
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    Re: Birmingham Medical School Applicants 2012
    You're the one that made the mistake, so why are you being a ****?
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